His parents were William and Jane McKay. William and his sister Violet were raised in San Francisco, CA and often spent their summers in Northern California’s redwood forests. He was brought up during the depression and taught to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.
William was blessed to have loved and married two wonderful women. He always knew what he wanted and wasn't one to waste time, he proposed to Ersie on their first date and to Kathleen after knowing her for three days. He married Ersie on April 6th 1953, she preceded him in death on October 26, 1980. He married Kathleen on June 30, 1984 and remained deeply in love to the end. William held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. He always took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment.
William was blessed with three biological and three bonus children, W. Scott McKay (Peggy), Kevin B. McKay (Michele), Jennifer West (Don), Victoria Henson (Dan), Sue Connolly, William Falla (Dayna). They were also blessed with thirteen grandchildren, Jake, Ian, Zach, Ericka, Carissa, Jarrod, Jeremy, Ben, Amanda, Emily, Liam, Will and Samantha, six great grandchildren and several grand dogs.
William was drafted as a medic in the Korean war and served his country for 28 years rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He served overseas in the Vietnam war and many different posts stateside with his final assignment at the Pentagon. He received praise for his valor, including being awarded the Bronze Star. After retiring from the Army, William began his second career as a financial officer for organizations including the Washington Cathedral and The Women’s B’nai B’rith before finally retiring for good.
His favorite pursuits were woodworking, seeing the country by RV, buying new cars and new gadgets, building an MGTD replica for his wife Kathleen and watching Fox News.
William had a strong faith in God and studied the Bible every day but was not a member of an organized religion. Although he could be stern, he was really a softy deep down caring for those around him. He was a sympathetic man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.
It’s amazing what he witnessed in his life and the stories he could tell. He remembered the Golden Gate Bridge being built, he lived through the Great Depression, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the cold war, and today’s times. He witnessed the rise and fall of the Soviet Union and the space race in the 50s and 60s. He saw (and enthusiastically embraced) every technical achievement over the past 90 years. He will be missed deeply by all that knew him.
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